disability
Today, I came across an article by The Guardian that raises a life-threatening issue. It seems that due to a 350% increase in referrals for autism diagnosis amongst children since the pandemic, NHS managers have moved the goal posts and added extra criteria to meet before a child can be
Autistic Rights
This evening, I took it upon myself to watch Channel 4's documentary on the abuse of Autistic people in psychiatric institutions. As I sit here reflecting on the way the Autistic participants were treated by those meant to care for them, I will confess that I have shed
Autism
I have had extensive therapy, as one might expect for a recovering drug addict who is also Schizophrenic. I have had mindfulness therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I've had Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, trauma therapy, psychoanalytic therapy. I've also had courses of therapy that use mixed approaches.
Autistic Rights
For a long time now, Autistic people have been fighting to have the contested title of Autism Spectrum Disorder removed from discourse of medicine. We feel that as an emerging culture, being Autistic is an identity rather than a medical matter. When considering one's identity, we have to
disability
Throughout the neurodiversity movement and wider into parent-led autism communities, there has been one particular question that comes up time and again: Is autism (and neurodivergence in general, for that matter) a disability? The prevailing opinion of Autistic self-advocates and many people in neurodivergent-led communities is that, yes, it is
Neurodiversity
It's been a hectic time since I published my first book at the beginning of November 2022. I have worked hard to get The New Normal: Autistic musings on the threat of a broken society out in the formats that people asked for. With that in mind, what
Autistic Rights
This article was co-authored by David Gray-Hammond and Tanya Adkin The NHS defines the role of social care as being; "...about providing physical, emotional and social support to help people live their lives." This sounds like a wonderful, albeit vague, concept. Perhaps it would help to look more
disability
I have, for some time now, discussed neuroqueer theory (as conceptualised by Nick Walker and her colleagues), adding my own takes to the emerging liberatory thoughts of a blossoming post-normal era. I consider myself neuroqueer. Not only because of the relationship between my queerness and my neurodivergence, but also because
disability
I'm not a curiosity that exists for your entertainment. I'm a human being.
Neuroqueer Theory
TRIGGER WARNING: Mention of Do Not Resuscitate directives and the pandemic Autistic people are subject to countless rules that are seemingly arbitrary in nature while having a huge impact on our wellbeing. It has been a source of much contention in our relationships with the non-Autistic people in our lives;
General Wellbeing
This article was Co-Authored by David Gray-Hammond and Katie Munday Trigger Warning: Discussion of mental health It is a surprisingly contentious discussion to have, but the neurodiversity paradigm does not just apply to autistic people and ADHD'ers. Neurodivergent is a broad and inclusive term that applies to any
Trauma
In recent years mental health has become more widely talked about, thanks to the popularisation of the "it's okay not to be okay" trope. On the surface this is a wonderful approach to the normalisation of Mental health issues, but does it have a darker side?